Friday night reflection

Congratulations, Lynnell & Brian Lichtenberg!!! It would seem that much time has gone by once again since my last post. It certainly took some time to get life back in order here since the big day!
It ended up being a gorgeous day and the pictures just don't cut the surface of what a memorable day it was. Besides all of the overflowing emotions, it was a MOST fun time!
Dan and I were able to party with so many friends, new and old! The only downfall was that time passed just way too quickly!

Since then, we've been keeping enjoying our days. Not much time to reflect in there, but we have certainly been keeping on the up and up. The kids are doing awesome at school.

Mallory is getting some great grades and having fun being a third grader! She has been improving tremendously at soccer on Saturday mornings (and some Thursday nights). Dance class also started on Sept. 24th, so that is something she really looks forward to, too. She still loves dogs and has been showing lots of interest in helping out around the house!

Christian has more than exceeded my expectations for him in all areas of his life. Not that I had set them low, but just that up until now, it seemed as though he would give us a run for our patience and understanding! He has joined the "letter-club" in his morning class (which means he can recognize all upper and lower case letters), and has already been reading us books and about 15 words (the, a, I, like, here, etc.). Not only that, but he continues to teach me about what God tells us in the Bible. He has been having fun playing soccer, but is not so sure about "battling." (i.e.-playing actual games on Saturdays)

I don't want to be that "braggy" mom, but I am just overwhelmed with the blessings God has given us in our children.

Dan and I are just getting over some nasty cold/flu bug. Other than that, I am adjusting to having Shelli at the shop, steering the ship, with Jillian managing the other aspects of the office. My days have really changed a lot, and my self-discipline is being challenged! I've been coaching both kids at soccer, coaching forensics, and volunteering for about 10-15 minutes in the mornings and on Wednesdays for about an hour in the classroom. Sounds like a lot, but just quite a few smaller things spread throughout the week. I do get to get out on Wednesday nights to play volleyball.

Dan has been trying to take Tuesday nights to go fishing, though this has been a busy time of year, with the swap meet and the big 5-Alarm weekend having just passed. His Uncle Don passed away about 3 weeks ago. He had been sick for quite some time. He has been spending more time at home and with the kids, which is every mom's dream come true!

It's time to put the kids to bed, now. We're just living life the best we can and trying to do what is best. We leave next Friday for Florida...that's a whole nother story!!

Parents' Prayer
O Father, our hearts are filledwith a great happiness.For you have seen fitto bless us with a child.You have sent us one ofyour own little angelsto love and protect.
We are aware of the greatresponsibility that is oursand we are humble.We realize the honoryou have bestowed upon usand we are grateful.
Great that we may beever patient and loving,living in such a wayas to set a shining example for our little one. And as we seek to set those tiny feet upon the paths of righteousness, be ever with us.
May our home be a place of love and harmony where your Spirit is ever present. And may our child find you in each activity of our family life.
Bless us, we pray,and walk beside us through all our days together. Amen.
- Norman Vincent Peale

After all these years.

This past Sunday, we packed up and headed down to Cedar Rapids, Iowa to see our friends, The Karl Family.(Joana, Maya, Juliana, & Dan) Chris, Tracy, and Andrew Hamilton came with us.
We got there about 9 am and had breakfast and "lupper" together. Joana made Ghanian beef kabobs for "lupper" and though they have peanuts and I couldn't have any, I heard they were VERY good!
We went to a park down the road from there house and ALL of us kids played and just sat around and hung out. The weather was beautiful!
We couldn't have asked for a more perfect day-all around.
The kids all played kindly with one another. We were sad to go and all decided that next time, we would stay over night and for longer. Did I mention that Dan (Topel), Chris, and Dan (Karl) all went to school together and Dan Karl was supposed to be our best man in our wedding, but he was too busy courting Joana in Africa!! Dan is Mallory's Godfather.

Thanks for a wonderful time, guys. You are wonderful hosts and your home is a perfect environment for us to all get together! We miss you being close now more than ever!

Hebrews 10:25 (New International Version)
25Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Heigh ho heigh ho...it's back to school we go!

The kids started back on school on August 28th. So far, so good. We are embracing the new schedule and I am especially enjoying being able to be home to do homework, make supper, etc. I am so excited, because I think I discovered why I could only load one photo per log in, etc. Updating will be much less painful now.
I do have lots of catching up to do, so stay tuned!
This past labor day weekend:
Saturday the kids and I road tripped up to the Princeton/Kingston area again. Mallory and Christain went to the campground by Tim and Jerzy and I went into Princeton to get my "trial" nails done for the wedding and go for lunch with Lynnell. By the time I got back, the kids had made a ton of crafts, Mallory was dribbling the basketball with some fancy moves, and they made a few new friends. Though it would have been niced to stay over, we headed home on Saturday. It is always a treat to see what new skill the kids acquire at the campground! Thanks, again, Tim & Jerzy!
Sunday, we really just hung out here at home and did some cleaning/laundry, fun stuff like that. My friend Renee had surgery the past Monday, so we made a meal for them and that was our day.
Monday-more cleaning and then to church. I wasn't feeling the best all weekend, so it was good to just catch up on some things around here. Dan kept busy towing and napping inbetween.

Last night, something really weird happened. I couldn't fall asleep for the life of me, and then the phone rang around 12:30. It was a nurse from St. Mary's hospital (which is one of my most feared phone calls with my dad trucking at all hours of the day/night). She said that my Grandma had been brought in for a nose bleed and she was okay now and needed a ride home. I wouldn't have minded anyway, but since I couldn't sleep, it really wasn't a big deal. Might make for a long day today!!

A Party Weekend!

Looks like we've outdone ourselves! On Friday, I took the kids up to Tim & Jerzy's to stay for the weekend while Mom and Dad partied with the Bachelor and Bachelorette. Lynnell is getting married on September 15 and she asked me to be the Matron of Honor. Quite an honor!! We started the day with a pedicure, then went to the Heidel House in Green Lake. I HIGHLY recommend the Escapade Cruise-only $12 per person for a one hour tour. There is one of three restaurants that is reasonable and casual and has outdoor seating. Makes for a fun day away.

I've just discovered that I can upload only one photo per log in, so we'll keep that to a minimum this time!

After our cruise, we went back to Brian & Lynnell's for pizza(and cake to celebrate Lynnell's upcoming birthday). After that, the 10 of us boarded the bus to Appleton for some night life which lasted until about 2:45 am! I'm getting too old for this! We had a super fun time and if Lynnell does as well as being a bride as she did a Bachelorette, she will do just FINE!

It made for a short rest time, as my internals had a little something they weren't quite happy with me about.

So a little removal process, another wink of sleep, and by 9:00, we were getting ready to head back to Princeton.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch (or the campground)--Christian had a surprise waiting for mommy. "Look, MOM-no training wheels!" It was a goal he set to be riding before he went back to school and bygum, he did it! Special thanks to Tim and Jerzy for their patience and ability to connect with a 5 year old busy body boy!

I picked up the kids and headed for home, just in time to whip on a change of clothes and pick up 5 of Mallory's friends for her 8th Birthday party at Build a Bear in West Towne Mall. We hit Dip-N-Dots for a treat instead of a cake, then found our way back home to crash in luxury in our own beds.

Hard to believe school is starting tomorrow already. Christian will be starting Kindergarten with Mrs. McKenney (the pastor's wife) and Mallory startes THIRD grade with Mrs. Ulrich. Mal had a fun day today shopping for her birthday present with Grandma Lala. Christian and I had a fun day with a surprise visit from Jonathon ("little" Jonathon who I used to babysit for) and Hannah. I am just consistently amazed by these "children" and their always making time to keep in touch. Jonathon will be starting his Junior year at University of Minnesota and recently got engaged to Chelse (I hope I spelled that right!?) Hannah is keeping busy with club soccer, Managing boy's soccer, working a real job, and babysitting!

And ya know, I better get to sleep, since school has a tricky way of bringing a discipline of schedule to an entire household!

Mallards, Petenwell, and Alex, OH MY!

I've tried updated this blog from my laptop about 50 times now, no joke. It is like a bad case of the movie Groundhogs Day. Usda. Well I've gotten this far, we'll see how far we get! July was filled as I'm sure you can imagine. Heather, who had been watching the kids, started looking ahead at the beginning of summer. She realized that come fall, she would need to find something different, since the kids would both be in school full time. She put her feelers out and found something right away. So we decided to make it through the summer between sitters. Between Kelly, Hannah, my mom, Dan's mom, and us parents, we have had quite the schedule from one day until the next!

We haven't been playing volleyball this summer, instead we've been going fishing, and just spending time just the two of us most Wednesdays. Jenny Hendricks has still been coming over on Wed. nights to watch the kiddels.

In late July, Alex came for a visit. His first "Lone Visit!" Tuesday night we went to the Mallards game in Madison (A BLAST, by the way). Alex chose to sit in the furthest front seats we could and after I left to go get some drinks, I came back and here everyone had drinks already. We had our own staff person, catering to our every whim and need! After the game, Dan got each of the kids a ball and they had the team sign. At the very end, there was a really fine young man who must have a soft spot for kids whose mom's embarrass them by making them take pictures with baseball players!!

Whew. What a nice boy! The next morning, we headed out for Lake Petenwell. A place that we wanted to get a permenant camping sight earlier in the year, but Uncle Sam did not allow it.

We had a great time, but only ended up staying one night. The lake was absolutely disgusting. It had layers of algae, bright green, that looked like it was toxic. We thought maybe we could boat to a better place on the lake, but no such luck. Despite that, we did have a fun time, and it was Alexs' first time truly camping.

Pudgy pies, cooking over the campfire, and 4 minute showers! Ahhh, nature at it's best. Well...other than the smell of dead fish and toxic lake!

I've edited this about 10 times now again, so I'm going to put my patience at rest by adding one other memorable event about our trip camping...

LOOK MOM! NO TRAINING WHEELS!!

(and that's the third try for that, so that's all for now!!)

June in August?!?

Not exactly in chronological order, but oh well. Above, Mal and Christian are on the carousel at the Town & Country Days in Lake Mills, it was the first year in many that Alex wasn't here with us. We all missed the Sheffermans, wasn't quite the same without them.

We were able to take some weeknights and Sunday nights to go for boat rides on Rock Lake. Christian has been posing with his imaginery friend. We don't really know his/her name, just usually shows up at camera time!
And then there's Mallory who had this habit of biting the skin around her fingers when she was nervous, anxious, or just bored.

On top of all of this, both of the kids attended summer school (well, Christian missed quite a bit, but he went when he could). Mallory took some fun classes and is still talking about dance class with Mrs. Stilling. She sure loves dancing.

One of many gorgeous sunsets on Rock Lake this summer.
We found out, as you may read on a "later" update that we are so blessed to live on such a clean lake. I've got some photos on our laptop that go next from July, so I'll leave that
for another day (soon, I hope).

What is one to say about June, the time of
perfect young summer, the fulfillment of the promise of the earlier months, and
with as yet no sign to remind one that its fresh young beauty will ever
fade. ~Gertrude Jekyll

Surprise!! An update!

It's as though I've got an audience to perform for here today!! It's as though there are people just waiting to see what is new in our lives over the past two months and I'm just not even sure how to start!! I guess I'll pick up where I left off and go from there-we'll see how far I get!

It's not what you think! On the left is Christian's mouth. The thing hanging down is that little "punching bag thing" in the back of our throats and to the right is one of his huge tonsils. The photo on the right is him mustering up a smile for me post-surgery. It was a tough day, but I have to say he was a trooper.

They had to wrap his entire arm so that he didn't know there was an iv in it.

After the surgery, Dr. Lindstrom told me that he did great and that his adenoids that they took out were quite large also. I waited a bit longer, then they called me back. He was a hurting unit when I first saw him, before the pain medication set in. The nurses had me get right onto bed with him and that was comforting for both of us. The hospital was the easy part. I would highly recommend Oconomowoc Hospital to anyone. They were wonderful from beginning to end, then sent a Thank You card to Christian with signatures from each of the nurses, with little notes from some of them.

Once we got home, he HATED his liquid Tylenol with Codeine and was quite a bear. Finally after not eating much, getting up every 4 hours and massive arguments over taking the yucky medicine, and losing some weight, (6 days), but fortunately no bleeding or any complications, we were able to give him Motrin. Much better...but it still took much longer than I had planned for him to get better. THEN...after getting pretty much everything he wanted for two weeks, we had to start all over teaching our strong-willed Christian exactly who was the parent and that the patient-phase was behind us! Not fun. So that's the much awaited surgery which happened on June 26, 2007 (it is still 2007, isn't it?).